Old Dongola
18.21666666666730.75Koordinaten: 18 ° 13 ' N, 30 ° 45 ' E
Old Dongola ( altnubisch: Tungul, Arabic دنقلا القديمة Dongola al - Qadima, Sudanese- Arabic Dungulā il - gadīma and often by Old Dongola ) was the capital of the Nubian Christian kingdom of Makuria and is now in the Sudanese state of al- Schamaliyya.
This ruined city is not to be confused with the modern city of Dongola, the so situated 50 kilometers down river north.
Location
The place is located at the beginning of a caravan route through the desert, abridging the south following Nilbogen. The city is located some 250 kilometers south of Lake Nubia, the Sudanese part of Lake Nasser, and about 450 kilometers north- west of Khartoum, on the right bank of the Nile. Old Dongola is close to the Letti Basin, in which it is an area that could be relatively easily irrigated, and thus offered good opportunities for agriculture and for the supply of a larger population. The town was situated on a rocky hill that dominated the whole area.
History
The city's origins are currently unknown. You may have been founded at the end of the fifth century by one of the first rulers of Makuria as a fortress. This fort was part of a series of such fortifications that were built along the Nile. Due to its central location in the middle of Makuria the place seems to have grown rapidly and was raised apparently early as the capital of the young state. The city was probably in the 6th century by some size and had a stone-built walls with a dense urban area, which covers an area of 4.75 ha (350 × 150 meters) occupied. In the following years the city but grew considerably and the first churches (buildings X and the so-called Old Church ) could therefore only be built outside the city walls, as the actual city area was already fully developed.
The old church was built of mud-brick three-aisled basilica, whose nave was twice as wide as the aisles. The roof is supported by large rectangular pillars. Building X was built from red brick and served in memory of two people who have been buried beneath the building in a crypt. It was a large building of 33.4 × 23.6 meters. At this point, the church was built with the stone floor later. It is a five - aisled basilica. The old crypt remained in this building still accessible. Both churches were destroyed in the year 652, when the Arabs under the leadership of Abdullah Abu Sarh attacked the city and destroyed their main church. The city was not taken, but the city walls were reinforced, including stones ( columns and capitals ) were used out of the church with the stone floor.
The church with the stone floor was built in a basilica with a dome again, the dome was supported by massive columns.
At the site of the old church a completely new building was constructed in the late 7th century - the Church of the granite columns. It was a building with five ships. The nave was substantially greater than the aisles. At the end of the nave there was a large apse, while there were also apses in the aisles. The columns of the main hall were made of granite with elaborate capitals. The windows of the church had lattice of ceramic, exhibit particularly artful and imaginative patterns. This church was possibly also for other Nubian church model. It is believed that it was the city's cathedral.
All these churches were richly decorated with wall paintings, one of which is still found fragments.
On the Kom H, the remains of a large monastery were excavated, the an area of approximately 120 x 100 meters covered. It was founded by Bishop Joseph of Syene († April 28 668 ), whose grave stone with Coptic inscription we recently found in the ruins of the monastery church. The actual monastery building has been excavated only to a small extent, as the excavations so far mainly focus on extensions. There were primarily residential and agricultural buildings, but also several chapels. The monastery is known by the modern name of the monastery of the Holy Trinity. There were many well-preserved murals. It was also the crypt where Archbishop Giorgio was buried be found. The chamber was still very well preserved and covered all over with lyrics. In two rooms completely unique paintings were discovered, showing a group of dancing men with musical instruments. Some of the figures are wearing masks. There seem to be here African and Arab traditions to unite.
From the 7th to the 9th century the city core, about 500 meters north built elaborate villas, some of which were 100 to 120 square meters. They had some several floors. Toilets found in the basement, while there were the actual living quarters upstairs. In a villa, there were even a stove to heat water, which served an adjoining bathroom. The walls of the bath were painted. The city grew from there further north and eventually covered an area of 2.6 × 0.9 km. Churches and monasteries were scattered across the area found, but it is unclear how close the area was inhabited in total.
Flourished in the 9th to 11th century
From the 9th to the 11th century witnessed Dongola and the kingdom of Makuria its heyday. A total of 14 churches so far could be detected. New buildings were erected in the city. These include the throne room of the royal palace, which still stands today, as it was later converted into a mosque. This hall was built of mud bricks. The walls are 1.1 meters thick. In some places, as where it was made necessary, even burnt bricks and stones have been used. The lower floor consisted of several vaulted rooms. It is probably to store rooms. The upper floor is reached via a grand staircase. The actual Throne Hall was 7 × 7 feet tall and was supported by four columns. This hall was surrounded by a kind of loggia, at one end there was an apse. The building was once decorated with murals, of which, however, only found a few remnants.
On the Nile on the hill known as the Acropolis, the remains of another palace (B in the picture) could be excavated with several floors in recent years. The palace is close to the city wall ( red on the plan). Next to the palace there was a small, richly decorated with paintings cross-shaped building, which was temporarily used as a Church (C ), and was probably built in the 6th century. Some walls of the palace were built in stone. The building was probably still in the 17th century, after the demise of Makuria used.
The Cruciform church replaced the church with the stone floor. The cruciform church, probably called Church of the Big Jesus, consisted of a 14 × 14 -foot core building, went out of the four arms, three of which were used as input, while the fourth was longer and there was more than the crypts of building X. The crypts of the previous churches had therefore still retain their importance. The walls are 1.1 meters thick and are still partially up to 4 meters high today. Columns, bases and capitals were worked in granite. In the center is a dome that was about 14 meters high, suspects. In the middle of the church hall stood four columns, but not supported the roof, but probably contributed beams, of which hung lamps. This church was possibly built by King Zacharias I., his son came back from a trip to Baghdad 835-837. The church has practically no equivalent in Nubia, but there are similar churches in Syria, Palestine and Asia Minor.
The Church of the granite columns was extended and received at the turn of the 10th to 11th century, a number of other columns, which this time consisted of bricks.
In the 12th century, Abu Salih describes the city and is called the many churches, big houses and wide streets. While al - Masudi reported that, there was the town up to the palace of the king only of reed huts.
The End of Old Dongola the capital
After the 11th century, the city looked forward to the fall. The old church was partially restored, and there were built new churches, but these were rather small. In the 13th century the empire fell apart from Makuria, and Dongola lost its meaning. The Nubian rulers converted to Islam, and the throne room was converted into a mosque in 1317, yet what a memorial stone recalls. Among the Fung it was the capital of the northernmost province. Today Dongola is an insignificant village.
Excavations
Dongola is excavated by a Polish team since 1964. There were the aforementioned buildings excavated. In addition, many Greek texts was found, which date mostly in the 8th and 9th centuries.